Hulkenberg 'a great inspiration' for Perez

Sergio Perez has told ESPN that having Nico Hulkenberg as his team-mate "was a great inspiration" for him to join Force India.

Hulkenberg was announced as returning to the team last week before Perez was confirmed on Thursday, with the pair having both impressed during separate stints at Sauber over the past few years. Hulkenberg joins the team which finished sixth in the 2013 constructors' championship having been heavily linked with drives at Ferrari and Lotus this season, while Perez spent just one year at McLaren before being dropped.

Asked if he saw his move to Force India as the chance to prove he deserved more from McLaren, Perez replied: "Definitely.

"I think it's a great opportunity. Nico was a great inspiration for me to come to Sahara Force India, so I think it's going to be very interesting to see how we're going to do next year."

But Perez admits the 2014 regulations will make it tough for him to bed in to Force India quickly.

"I think it's going to be a big challenge to adapt ourselves to the car, to a new team, but I think it's going to be a great challenge which I look forward to."

Chris Medland is assistant editor at ESPNF1 Chris Medland, who in his youth even found the Pacific GPs entertaining, talked his way in to work at the British Grand Prix and was somehow retained for three years. He also worked on the BBC's F1 output prior to becoming assistant editor ahead of the 2011 season